1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of telephony and more particularly, to a method for provisioning a telephone service feature.
2. Description of the Related Art
A public switched telephone network (PSTN) is a network that can provide local access and switching services for telephone subscribers. Local access includes the provision of a local connection point where a subscriber can connect to or access the PSTN. Switching services can include the capability to switch or route local or long distance calls that are originated or terminated by a subscriber in the PSTN. For example, there is shown in FIG. 1, a typical PSTN 100 system. The PSTN 100 system can include a switch 102, central office (CO) 104 with telephone subscriber terminals 104a, 104b, 104c and CO 106 with telephone subscriber terminals 106a, 106b and 106c. The switch 102 can be used to switch calls between CO 104 and CO 106.
Typically, the switch 102 can have the capability to switch calls originating and terminating within the same CO. For example, a call originating at subscriber terminal 104b and destined for subscriber terminal 104c can be switched by switch 102. Similarly, a call originated by subscriber terminal 104b and destined for subscriber terminal 106a can be switched by switch 102. In sophisticated CO's, the equipment present can have the capability to do intra-CO switching, which can include the switching of calls between originating and terminating subscriber terminals that are served by the same CO, without the assistance of the switch 102. For example, a call originated at subscriber 104a and destined for a subscriber terminal 104b can be switched by the CO 104, without the switch 102.
The CO can function as the local access point for subscribers. FIG. 2 illustrates a high level diagram of the CO 104 with line interface circuits (LICs). In its simplest form, CO 104 can contain a plurality of LICs, for example 122, 124. LICs are generally designed as a card having electronic components located thereon. Each LIC can provide telephone service to a single subscriber served by the CO. The LICs can be housed within an electronics cabinet 120 located at the CO. The LICs can be arranged in banks, 126, 128 to accommodate growth of the system. Each LIC can be designed as a “plug-in” card or circuit-pack that can be easily plugged or inserted into a common bus residing within the electronics frame or cabinet 120. Also housed in the electronics frame 120 is a controller 140. The controller 140 can be a special LIC that is specially configured to control the operation of all the LICs in electronics frame.
The use of “plug-in” cards or circuit-packs that are plugged into an electronics frame or cabinet having a common bus is known in the art. Whenever the need arises to provision services for a new subscriber, a new LIC card can be plugged into the common bus of the electronics cabinet 120. A twisted pair wire can then be connected to the LIC card and run from the CO to the customer/subscriber premises. At the customer premises, the twisted pair can be connected to a subscriber terminal, which is generically called a customer premises equipment (CPE). For example, LIC 122 can be connected to subscriber terminal 104a by the twisted pair wire 122a. 
In operation, a subscriber utilizing subscriber terminal 104a wishing to place a call to subscriber terminal 106a can dial the directory number (DN) associated with the subscriber terminal 106a. Based on the dialed digits of the DN associated with the subscriber terminal 106a which are received at the CO 104, a call request can be dispatched to the switch 102. Based on the DN associated with the subscriber terminal 106a, the switch 100 can route the call to CO 106. The CO 106 can accordingly route the incoming call to the subscriber terminal 106a. At this point, subscriber terminal 104a is connected to subscriber terminal 106a. 
Telephone service features such as, caller ID, three-way calling, call waiting, call hold, and call forwarding require provisioning. Whenever a telephone subscriber orders a new telephone service feature, the service feature has to be provisioned prior to the subscriber accessing the service. Provisioning a telephone service feature can include setting up the available resources in the telephone network and possibly at the subscriber premise to accommodate the new telephone service feature.
Typical provisioning activities can include, but are not limited to, programming the telephone service feature at a switch, and adding appropriate circuits within a telephone network such as at the CO. For example, the LIC 130 circuit-pack or card has to be provisioned at CO 104 and conduits such as twisted pair wires, coaxial cable or even a wireless connection can provide a communication path between the LIC 130 and the subscriber terminal 104c. Additionally, appropriate billing databases have to be accordingly updated. Notably, the provisioning activities typically entail dispatching a service technician to upgrade various network elements, such as the LIC card 130 at the CO 104.
The cost related to provisioning a new service feature can be prohibitively high. Instead of absorbing these prohibitively high costs, telephone service providers typically charge a connection fee to offset the costs related to provisioning a new service feature. Importantly, the charge for these service features are additional to the monthly charges paid for basic telephone service by the subscriber, irrespective of whether or not the service feature is utilized by the subscriber. Consequently, many subscribers refuse to subscribe to these new service features since it is undesirable to pay for service features that might rarely be utilized.